Finding the Best Places to Retire Since 2006!
Pell City, Alabama
Next to Popular Logan Martin Lake in Northeastern Alabama, Sleepy Pell City Boasts Water Recreation, an Attractive Downtown and Reasonable Costs
On the shores of 17,000-acre Logan Martin Lake in northeastern Alabama, sleepy Pell City is just half an hour to the east of Birmingham, the state's largest city (population 215,000).
The lake, with its eight marinas and 275 miles of shoreline, is the main draw here. Lakeside Park has fishing piers, a swim area and direct water access. The annual boat show, Hometown Block Party and Lakefest are popular events. Fishing tournaments happen year round. The downtown is dotted with specialty shops and loft apartments, and the Artscape Gallery and Council for the Arts holds an annual festival. The Pell City Center houses a community theater and a sports arena. The Toughman Alabama triathlon brings out local athletes, and two golf courses attract players of all ages. Other recreation facilities include an outdoor sports complex and an indoor cardio center.
Strip malls along U.S. 231 feature banks, fast food places, discount stores and the like. Neighborhoods are well kept, and a housing dollar goes a long way. Many homes are on a large lot, and architectural styles include brick Colonial, ranch rambler, plantation and others.
Population: 14,000 (city proper)
Age 45 or Better: 41%
Cost of Living: 16% below the national average
Median Home Price: $320,000
Climate: Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, and winter temperatures are in the 30s and 40s. On average, the area receives 49 inches of rain each year.
At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients? Yes
At Least One Hospital Accredited by Joint Commission? No, but Citizens Baptist Medical Center is 15 miles away in Talladega and is accredited.
Public Transit: No
Crime Rate: Slightly above the national average
Public Library: Yes
Political Leanings: Conservative
College Educated: 20%
Cons: The tornado risk is 260% greater than the national average.
Is Alabama Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement? Yes
Notes: Pell City has maintained its population during the last decade and has a nice reputation. Home prices have increased 15% since last year. The entire area is up and coming as Birmingham has been undergoing somewhat of an economic rebirth in recent years.
Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Yes, although the slightly higher than average crime rate and tornado risk should be weighed.
Alabama:
The Heart of Dixie was admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819. The Cotton State was a major player in both the American Civil War and the American Civil Rights Movement. Montgomery was once the capital of the Confederacy and also the heart of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Its current economy is fed by agriculture, auto production, and aerospace. Only Arkansas and Georgia produce more broiler chickens. Alabamians built the Apollo 11 rocket and helped land the first human on the moon.
Bordered by Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama covers 52,423 square miles of land and water. Topography ranges from mountains and plateaus to river valleys, lowlands, and coastal plains. Average rainfall is 56 inches per year. Growing seasons can be long and summers hot. Winters are normally mild.
Mobile, Alabama has the oldest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States. Nicholas Langlois introduced Carnival to the city in 1703, 15 years before New Orleans was founded.
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